If you’ve been dreaming about capturing the world in a way that feels like you’re actually there, Blackmagic Design has some news for you. Their latest innovation, the Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive, is now available for pre-order, with shipping slated to start in early 2025. But, brace yourself, this piece of tech will set you back a cool $29,995 — that’s roughly the equivalent of 8.6 Apple Vision Pro headsets.

Announced back in June, the URSA Cine Immersive isn’t just another camera; it’s a game-changer for those looking to dive into the world of immersive video content, particularly for Apple’s Vision Pro platform. This camera promises to shoot stereoscopic 3D video at a jaw-dropping 90 frames per second with a resolution of 8160 x 7200 per eye. For context, that’s over double the estimated per-eye resolution of the Vision Pro’s displays.

The camera employs Blackmagic’s own RAW Immersive file format, designed to make the post-production process as seamless as possible for this new wave of immersive content. This format will be supported in the upcoming updates to DaVinci Resolve Studio, Blackmagic’s professional editing software, which is set to become the world’s first immersive video editor for Apple‘s platform.

Grant Petty, CEO of Blackmagic Design, highlighted the significance of this development, “We’re enabling a true end-to-end workflow for Apple Immersive Video.” He expressed enthusiasm about collaborating closely with filmmakers to explore this new frontier of cinema.

Currently, the Vision Pro offers some immersive experiences, but these are somewhat limited outside of what Apple itself produces. Apps like Amplium or Explore POV provide a taste of what’s possible, yet none match the quality or depth of Apple’s own immersive videos. Until now, Apple has been the sole creator of content in its Immersive Video format, with only a select few videos available for viewers to experience.

The introduction of the URSA Cine Immersive could democratize this technology, allowing more studios and independent creators to craft their own immersive narratives. This could significantly expand the library of content available for Vision Pro, potentially transforming how we consume media from passive viewing to active participation in a 3D space.

At $29,995, this camera isn’t aimed at your average content creator but rather at professional filmmakers and studios with the budget and vision to invest in such cutting-edge technology. It represents both an opportunity and a challenge: an opportunity to be at the forefront of a new medium, and a challenge due to the high entry cost and the need for specialized skills in handling and editing such high-resolution, stereoscopic content.

For those intrigued by the possibilities, pre-orders are open, and Blackmagic is gearing up for deliveries starting in late Q1 of 2025. This timeline gives creators a window to prepare, learn, and plan their projects. Meanwhile, Blackmagic’s commitment to integrating this technology into DaVinci Resolve ensures that those who invest in the URSA Cine Immersive will have the tools to turn their vision into reality.

The launch of this camera could mark a pivotal moment in immersive storytelling, making the fantastical more tangible and the world of cinema more enveloping than ever. Whether this will lead to widespread adoption of immersive video or remain a niche within high-end filmmaking remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the future of visual storytelling just got a lot more interesting.